The History of Caroline County, Maryland, From Its Beginning,
1920, pp. 54-69

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD

The Militia

I. Introduction.

The story of the Militia
of the Eastern Shore is the story of the spirit of the times, and this
cannot be more clearly set forth than by quoting from a letter written
May 1774, by a Mr. Eddie, officer of the English Government.
“All America is in
a flame: I hear strange language every day. The colonists are
ripe for any measure that will tend to the preservation of what they call
their national liberty. I enclose you the resolves of our citizens;
they have caught the general contagion. Expresses are flying from province
to province. It is the universal opinion here, that the mother country
cannot support a contention with these settlements, if they abide steady
to the letter and spirit of their association."
All Maryland was aroused
and Caroline County seemed imbued with even more than her quota of enthusiasm,
and she was among the first to respond to the call of the nation. Her militia,
her minute men, her Flying Camp were the material outgrowth of her spirit
of Democracy.

II. Origin of Militia

The Militia was a provincial
organization of a very early date, an Act of General Assembly for such
an organization having been passed at their session in 1638.
This Act provided that,
under the direction of the Lieutenant General, “The captain of the military
band shall use all power necessary, or conducing, in his direction, to
the safety and defense of the province.”
However at the opening of
the Revolutionary period the Militia was only a tentative organization
and Caroline as a county had no such military body of which we know.

III. Caroline's Awakening.

In all the colonies the English
yoke was becoming heavy and as the spirit of Liberty spread abroad Maryland
joined the opposition to England’s tyranny with “A stern determination
to have it efficient.”
Then Caroline came to the
fore-front in her state activities when the citizens in 1774 held a large
meeting at Melvill’s warehouse, oil the 18th day of June, by adjournment
from the 8th of the same month, and passed the following resolutions, Charles
Dickinson, Esq., chairman:

“1. Resolved, That the inhabitants of this
country are by duty and Inclination firmly attached to his most sacred
majesty, King George the Third, to whom we owe all due obedience and allegiance.

"2. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting
that the Boston port act is principally grounded on the opposition made
by the inhabitants of that town to the tea duty, that the said town of
Boston is now suffering in the common cause of British America, and that
it is the duty of every colony thereof to unite in the most effectual means
of obtaining a repeal of the late act of parliament for shutting up the
port of Boston.

"3. That in the unanimous opinion of this meeting
that if the colonies came into a joint resolution to forbear all importations
whatsoever from Great Britain, (except such articles as are absolutely
necessary) until the acts of parliament for shutting up the port of Boston,
and for levying a duty in America for the express purpose of raising a
revenue, shall be repealed, it will be the means of preserving the liberties
of North America.

"Resolved, therefore, That the inhabitants of this county
are disposed firmly to unite with the inhabitants of this province and
the other colonies of North America, in an association and agreement to
forbear the importation of goods and merchandise from Great Britain, during
the continuance of the said acts of parliament (except such articles as
may be judged proper to be excepted by a general association,) and that
all orders for importation, (except the articles before excepted,) ought
to cease.

"4. That it is against the opinion of this meeting.
that the colonies go into a general non-importation from, or non-exportation,
to Great Britain, but should both, or either of these measures be adopted,
they will acquiesce therein.

“5. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting that
the courts of justice be kept open. But should a non-exportation agreement
be generally come into, In that case it is the opinion of this meeting
that the courts of justice be shut up.

"6. That It is the opinion of the inhabitants of
this county, that this province ought to break off all trade and dealings
with that colony, province, or town, which shall refuse or decline to come
into similar resolutions with a majority of the colonies.

"7. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting
that delegates be appointed from this province to attend a general congress
of delegates from the other colonies, at such time and place as shall be
agreed on, in order to settle and establish a general plan of conduct for
the important purposes aforementioned.

"8. That Thomas White, William Richardson, Isaac
Bradley, Nathaniel Potter, Benson Stainton, and Thomas Goldsborough,
be a committee to attend a general meeting at Annapolis. And that
the same gentlemen, together with Charles Dickinson, Richard Mason,
Joshua Clark, Henry Dickinson, Dr. Wm. Molleson, Charles Blair, Wm. Haskins,
Philip Fiddleman, Wm. Hooper, the Rev. Samuel Keene, the Rev. Philip Walker,
Henry Casson and Benedict Brice, be a committee of correspondence
to receive and answer all letters, and on any emergency, to call a general
meeting and that any seven of the number have the power to act.

9. That this paper be considered as an instruction to
the deputies nominated from this County to meet at the city of Annapolis
for the purpose of forming a general association, in which they are not
to come into any engagement whatever, but upon condition that the colonies
in general shall come into a similar measure.

“10. That a copy of the proceedings be published in the
MARYLAND GAZETTE, to envince to the world the sense they entertain of the
invasion of their constitutional rights and liberties. Signed,
per order,Henry Downes, Jr., Clerk

These resolutions show that
the intent of the colonists was readjustment of differences, not war.
They wanted tread relations changed, not the government. When, however,
April 28, 1774, at 9 A.M. the blood-tidings from Lexington reached Annapolis,
war became a certainty in the minds of the Assembly.
A letter sent to the State
deputies of each county stating the savage massacre of a number of the
inhabitants of Lexington, and the movement of the King’s troops, numbering
1200, caused great alarm through the colonies; therefore, it became necessary
to form some kind of a resistance.
When the convention met at Annapolis in December a resolution was adopted,
in substance as follows:
On the eighth day of December,
1774, the deputies from each county met and resolved to form a militia
of their respective counties. This militia was to be composed of
the gentlemen, freeholders and other freemen. It was further recommended
that all persons from sixteen to fifty years of age enroll and form themselves
into companies of 68 men; to choose a captain, two lieutenants, an ensign,
four sergeants, four corporals and one drummer for each company.
These men were to use every means possible to make themselves masters of
the military exercise. Each man was to be provided a good fire-lock
and bayonet fixed thereon, one half pound of powder, two pounds of lead,
and a cartouch box, or powder-horn, and a bag of ball, and be in readiness
to act in any emergency.
At the same time it was
recommended that the it was recommended that the "Committee" of each County
raise a solicited subscription or voluntary gift of monies amounting in
full to 10,000 pounds of which Caroline's allotment was 358 pounds.
Under the direction of the
Committees from the respective counties this money was to be used to purchase
arms and ammunition for the use of such county.
The resolves of the convention
were immediately carried out; old and young enrolled with the greatest
enthusiasm, and money, arms, and ammunition, were everywhere collected
to meet the approaching crisis. Maryland was girding herself for
the struggle. It broke out in open conflict, just before the meeting
of the convention.
To repress toryism, it was
enacted that if any inhabitants of the province should, after the 5th of
August following, levy war against the United States or should adhere "to
any person or persons bearing arms or employed in the service of Great
Britain against the United Colonies,------ or shall afford such persons,-------any
aid or comfort, or shall give them,------ or any subject of Great Britain
any intelligence of the warlike preparations or designs of the United Colonies,------such
person on conviction thereof by a petit jury, after a presentment by a
grand jury, in a court to be erected in this colony by the next convention,
for the trial of such offenders, shall suffer death with benefit of clergy,
and forfeit all estate which he had at the time of the commission of the
crime, to be applied to the use of this colony, unless such convicted person
shall be pardoned by the person or persons invested with the power of granting
pardon for such offences."
While in all probability
the enrollment was not complete on the given date the records state that
on September 15, 1775, all persons within the province from sixteen to
fifty, subscribed, enrolled and pledged their willingness to bear arms
and march to such places within the province, when the convention, or the
council of safety commanded.
The militia companies consisted
of not more than 74 privates, nor less than 50; each captain of his militia
was to submit a muster roll to the committee of Observation. This
roll including captains, lieutenants, ensign, number of non-commissioned
officers and privates, was forward to the Council of Safety, in order that
all commissions might be issued in the name of the convention to these
officers.
The militia was to meet
for exercise weekly; the commanding officer naming the place. Conditions
frequently made it necessary that the commanding officer had to have his
company divided and exercised once each month.
Every non-commissioned officer
and private of the minute-men and militia was to appear at this place of
muster with his firelock and other equipment in good order, and to diligently
and obediently attend to all instructions, and perform his exercise in
arms as commanded. In case he should not appear, or his firearms
were not in good order, and having no legitimate excuse, he was subjected
to a fine not exceeding the sum of five shillings in common money for every
such neglect. Such misbehavior was to be determined by the captain,
lieutenants, and ensigns or any two of them.
Every commissioned officer
having no reasonable excuse and failing to perform his duty according to
his office and station, and for the refusal of duty, shall be fined a sum
not to exceed 15 shillings of common money; such misbehavior to be adjudged
by other field and commissioned officers, or a major part of them.
The militia continued under
the organization until the end of 1775 at which time material changes were
made in the military arrangements.

IV. Government

That the various enactments
and organizations pertaining to the government may be understood it might
be well to speak of the governing bodies at the close of the provincial
organization.
There was a short period
between the awakening of the people and the deposing of Robert Eden,
last Colonial Governor, when Maryland was really under two governments.
The General Assembly was not dissolved, yet the colony resenting their
rule sent representatives to Annapolis and formed a “Convention” which
first met Nov. 21, 1774. This date was the time of the actual deposing
of the Colonial Governor, although his power was gone even before this.
It might be well to mention that Governor Eden still remained in
the province after the supremacy had been taken out of his hands by the
convention. His easy and affable manner had caused no alarm; for
sometime before the change in the governing power he had been apparently
neutral. But certain letters were found addressed to him from Lord
Dunmore, who was commanding a fleet in the Chesapeake Bay, and was also
prominent in stirring up the Tories in the lower part of the province,
asking Robert Eden to hold himself in readiness to assist the Crown
when occasion presented itself. General Charles Lee, into
whose hands the letters were placed, immediately forwarded same to the
Council of Safety at Baltimore. As the convention was not in session,
he advised that the person and papers of Mr. Eden be at once secured.
Captain Smith, company
commander under Major Gist, was sent with a detachment of the Maryland
regulars for that purpose. The convention afterwards resented this
proceeding and reprimanded Captain Smith and ordered him to return
to Baltimore. At the same time however, considering the presence
of Governor Eden no longer consistent with the safety of the colony,
resolved—“That it be signified to the Governor, that he leave his province
because the public safety and quiet, in the judgment of this convention
is required, and that he is at full power of liberty to depart peaceably
with his effects, and that a committee of five persons be appointed to
wait on the on the Governor and deliver him copies of the resolutions together
with an address.” The house voted on the above resolution; Caroline’s
vote was as follows: Mr. Richardson, affirmative;
Mr. Dickinson, negative; Mr. Mason, negative.
Governor Eden sailed
on his majesty’s ship Fowey, June 24, 1776. Detachments of militia
were placed at convenient posts to prevent any communication with the
Fowey man of war together with the ship Defence, which tendered her down
the bay to prevent as far as possible any plunder or attack.
After taking the governing
power out of the hands of the Governor it became necessary to give this
power to some governing body; for this purpose a “Maryland Council of Safety”
was chosen by ballot. It was composed of 16 persons, eight of whom
resided on the western shore and eight on the eastern shore. This
body was to direct and regulate the operations of the minutemen and militia,
providing equipment, food, regulating their movements from place to place,
and appointing and commissioning field officers, together with the regulation
of the rank of all military officers. The Council moreover attended
to all matters of state when the Convention was not in session and had
the power to call a special meeting of said Convention when they deemed
it necessary.
A Local Committee was formed called the “Committee of Observation”
whose duty it was to inspect (locally) and report to the Council of Safety
on the conduct of any who were suspected of being disloyal, also to investigate
direct charges of disloyalty. The term of office members of this
committee was one year, beginning on day of election.
The committee of Observation
in each county was held responsible for every able bodied man enrolling,
and in case they found those who failed to enroll, their names were forwarded
to the State convention which would adopt measures against such persons.
It was further ordered that
each committee of Observation, as soon as convenient after their election
should choose by ballot five members to act as a “Committee of Correspondence”
for their county between the State Council and other counties. One
person was named on each committee to act as a treasurer; receiving all
sums of money which was given voluntarily; this to be used in encouraging
the building of manufactories of any kind for immediate relieve in the
counties and arming and defending the country.
Their number of elections
is shown in the following:

“In
September 1775, an election was held at the court houses of the counties
for the purpose of electing new members to the committee of Observation.
All freeholders in the province, and other freeman having a visible estate
of 40 pounds sterling were qualified to vote.”

Thus we see that the “Convention”
the “Council of Safety,” the “Committee of Observation” together with sub-committees
formed Maryland’s governing body during the Revolutionary period.
Though Caroline County’s people were in the main loyal, and did all
in their power to carry out the orders of the province, yet Tories and
other paid agents of the British Government wrought considerable dissatisfaction
in the minds of many well-disposed persons as will be understood from the
following extracts from the Maryland Archives.
Caroline County Sept. 17, 1776.
Sir:
Agreeably to the requisition
of the Convention made to the field officers of this county, to endeavor
to get a company made up to march to New York, I thought it necessary to
convene the 28th Battalion of Militia on Saturday last for that purpose,
and after meeting in the usual field of parade, the several Companies were
drawn up, except the Company under the command of Capt. John Fauntleroy.
I then requested he would draw up his company, who made me for answer,
that he had but a few officers in the field and that he should not draw
up under me as a commander in the field.
Capt. Fauntleroy’s
reasons for not joining the Battalion I do not certainly know, but after
the Battalion were dismissed, I am credibly informed he endeavored to see
who would join against me, for what purpose I do not know unless to treat
me ill.
As it appears to me, Sir,
that he is a disobedient officer and possibly was I to overlook this injury
to the common cause, it might prove to be bad consequence, besides under
these circumstances my person as well as character may not be altogether
safe, and in order sir, that peace and harmony may again take place, I
pray that a court marshal may be appointed by your board for the trial
of Capt. Fauntleroy in order to find out what I am to be accused with and
that he or myself may meet with the instant demerits we deserve.
I am Sir most obedt Hble Servt.
Benson Stainton

(Proceedings of Court Martial)
Melvill’s Warehouse Nov. 16, 1776.

In pursuance to an order
from the Council of Safety bearing the date of 18th day of September last,
for the trial of Capt. John Fauntleroy of the twenty eight Battalion
of Militia for this State, I appointed the sixteenth day of November 1776,
for holding a Court Martial for the purpose and gave notice of the time
and place for holding said Court, to all persons concerned. And there
was present at the time and place,
Vincent Price
Nathaniel Potter
Captains John Mitchell
Peter Richardson
Henry Casson, Sr.
And after fully hearing the allegations of Col. Benson Stainton
and the evidence of both sides and considering the same, the Court gives
judgment that Capt. John Fauntleroy pay five pounds current money
for his offense and breach of duty.
Mat. Driver, President.

V. Reorganization of Militia

At the meeting of the Convention
at Annapolis, Jan. 4, 1776, a reorganization of the militia was effected.
A committee had been previously appointed to “Consider what alterations
and amendments necessary, in the regulations on the militia of this Province.”
The report was in brief
as follows: No minute men were to be hereafter enrolled; no companies of
minute men were to be continued after the first day of the following March;
all arms now in the possession of the “minute men” to be delivered to the
Committee of Observation; every able bodied man between the ages of 16
and 50 (with a few exceptions) not yet enrolled in the militia must do
so on or before March 1, 1776.
Following was a list of
fines, punishments, etc., for delay or disobedience and a plan for officering
the new organization. After this Convention the “minute men” and
“Flying Camp” were disbanded and the entire soldiery became militia.
The convention having been in session on Jan. 1, 1776, resolved that
eight companies of troops, to consist of 68 privates under proper officers,
to be formed into a battalion, and the remainder of the troops to be divided
into companies of 100 men each.
The following Caroline County
officers were elected by ballot:
East Battalion-Mr.
William Richardson, colonel; Mr. Henry Dickinson, lieutenant-colonel;
Mr.
William Whitely, 1st major; Mr. Matthew Driver, 2nd major;
Mr.
John White, quartermaster.
West Battalion-Mr.
Philip Fiddeman, colonel; Mr. Benson Stainton, lieutenant-colonel;
Mr. Richard Mason, 1st major; Mr. Henry Downes, 2nd major;
Mr.
Thos. Hardcastle, quartermaster.
Pay of officers as follows:
colonel $50; colonels expenses $30; lieutenant colonel $40; lieutenant
colonels expenses $20; major $33.33; captain $26; drummer and fifer $6;
lieutenant $18; ensign $16; surgeon’s mate $20; sergeant $6.66; corporal
$6; surgeon $40; chaplain $20; private $5.33; clerk to colonel $20; pay
to other officers was regulated by the Council of Safety.
That a ration consisting
of one pound of beef, or three-quarters of a pound of port, one pound of
flour or bread per man per day, three pints of peas at six shillings per
bushel, or other vegetables equivalent, one quart of Indian meal per week,
a gill of vinegar and gill of molasses per man per day, a quart of cider,
small beer or rum, per man per day, three pounds of candles for one hundred
men per week, for guards; twenty-four pounds of soft soap, or eight pounds
of hard soap for one hundred men per week.
Each captain was to enlist
his own company and had the following instructions for enlisting men into
the service:

1. You are to enlist
no man who is not able bodied, healthy, and a good marcher, nor such whose
attachment to the liberties of America you have any cause to suspect. Young
hearty robust men, who are tied by birth, or family connection or property
to this country; and are well practiced in the use of firearms, are by
much to be preferred.
2. You are to have a great
regard to moral character, sobriety in particular.
3. You are not to enlist
any servant imported, nor, without the leave of the master, any apprentice.
4. Those who engage in the
service shall be enlisted according to the form prescribed by this convention.

A further order indicating low
finance was the following:

“To
avoid a needless and insupportable expense, no person after the tenth day
of May next, may wear any uniform at exercise, either in single companies
or battalions, but hunting shirts, the officers distinguishing themselves
from the privates by different feathers, cockades, or the like as fancy
may direct.”

VI. Meeting the Needs of the War

The general idea of conservation
along all lines seemed to be immediately taken up by the Convention.
Early as the meeting of Dec. 8, 1774, we find the following recommendations:
First, that the citizens increase their flocks of sheep for the promotion
of woolen manufacturing and to further this they recommended that thereafter
no sheep under four years of age be killed.
The second recommendation was that the citizens increase the production
of linen and cotton by “planting all they conveniently can” and recommend
further that speculators purchase no seed for exportation.
Again in July, 1775, the
Council of Safety found it necessary to discourage the killing of lambs,
so that more wool might be realized; also to enforce the production of
flax.
This year as well as the
next two following, meant a period of great conservation on the part of
the province. As state before they were unprepared for war, not having
meat, meal, clothing, tents, firearms, or shoes for the soldiers; there
was apparently leather in the colonies but it was not made up into shoes,
since much of this must be done by hand it was a very slow process.
In 1777 the American Army
was so greatly in need of clothing and blankets that collectors were appointed
in each county to collect these necessities wherever possible. In
Choptank Hundred Joseph Richardson was appointed Superintendent
of Collections. The Governor and Council limited the prices to be
paid as follows: Blankets 13s; a hat 30d; a pair of stockings 30d; a hat
30d; coarse woolens, fit for soldiers’ coats, jackets or breeches ¾
yd. Wide 50d; linen, fit for soldiers’ shirts, per yard, 16d.
The food question was one
of importance. How procure rations for the soldiers?
Nathaniel Potter, whom we remember as one of the first Court
justices of Caroline County, and who had bought and packed pork and beef
for Caroline County companies under Col. Richardson was (1776) called upon
to procure, for the Province, all pork possible at 5 pounds sterling per
hundred.
The following letter written
by Isaac McHard, Quartermaster to the Council of Safety, brings
to us not only food conservation but the necessity of salt.

Caroline County Dec. 30th, 1776.
Gentlemen:
I have contracted with Mr. Potter to buy me all the Pork that
is to be had in the county. He had engaged to salt and barrel all
that he could get and he thinks it necessary to have salt, therefore hope
you will order him fifty bushels, which quantity he thinks he will want.
I have likewise engaged with Mr. James Seth, to get for me all the
Pork in Talbot and Queen Anne’s County if he should want a little salt
I hope you will order him a little. I don’t know that he will want
it for he has contracted to deliver it at Annapolis if possibly he can
get it there. If he can not get it there from the badness of the
weather it must be salted over here and barreled and brought to Annapolis
in the spring. Your granting these orders for the salt will be much
oblige. [sic]
Gentlemen, Your hble. Servt.
Isaac McHard N.B. Mr. Crystale
will see the salt measured and will take a receipt from the Skipper for
the Quantity.
The scarcity of salt threatened
the conservation of meat and must be secured for that purpose. Many
freeholders were reported as having large supplies of it stored and this
led to great dissatisfaction of the people in need of it. Searching
parties were organized who went out to search for these stores.
In one case Mr. Colston
of Caroline having butchered was in great need of salt; hearing that Mr.
Chamberlain of Plain Dealing Talbot, had 100 bushels stored he sent
several times to buy it but each time they refused to sell. At last
Mr.
Colston had his neighbors, seventeen in number, go with him carrying
the money and their muskets. They asked again that the salt be sold
them, if not to open the door of the house in which the salt was stored.
Mr.
Chamberlain’s wife being the only one at home opened the door of the
house; there they found a considerable quantity. They ordered one
of Mr. Chamberlain’s negroes to measure out 17 ½ bu. For
which they paid $35.00. On their return home they wrote a letter
to Mr. Chamberlain explaining the transaction and saying they would
pay the price he asked. This matter was brought to the attention
of the Council, which took immediate steps to secure 30 bus. from Talbot
and Dorchester counties.
War conditions let to other
depredations, one of which with its attending civic troubles we give below:

“In
great desperation for want of salt, then so scarce, Capt. Richard Andrew
and a number of men in November, 1776, entered and searched the dwelling
house and outhouses of James Sullivane, looking for salt.
As they found only five bushels they did not take any. Then they
went to Col. James Murry’s [sic] on Hunting Creek (now known as
the Billup’s farm) got the keys from
Mrs. Murray and took fourteen
and one half bushels of salt. They offered to pay for it, but Mrs.
Murray
refused payment; however they left $14.50 in the house.”

To punish these disorderly people
the Committee of Observation summoned witnesses and those active in the
affair, but they did not appear and a hearing was set for the following
Wednesday, and wholly unexpectedly they came headed by Captain Andrew
with more than a hundred armed men. They were so disorderly that
nothing could be done in the matter. They declared they would risk
their lives in defense of their acts. An appeal was made to the Council
of Safety to have Gen. Henry Hooper’s brigade of militia
sent to arrest them, but considering the need of troops elsewhere and the
urgent appeals made by the people on the Eastern Shore for salt, then so
scarce that some families had not a pint in months, it seemed that the
sending of a militia into a county to suppress local disturbances not regarded
as disloyal acts, might lead to serious revolts at this critical period
of the Revolutionary conflict.
Scarcity of saltpeter too
was giving the government much concern. It was a necessity.
Powder must be produced for the man behind the gun. As early as July,
1775, the Council of Safety found it necessary to encourage the manufacture
of saltpeter. To do this a sum not exceeding 1000 pounds common money
was advanced on proper security for the erection of one or more saltpeter
works. This money was to be repaid in good merchantable saltpeter
on or before October 1776. The manufacturers were to be paid one
half dollar per pound, this rate being fixed by the Council of Safety.
At the same time a similar
sum was offered for the erection and working of a powder-mill. Again
on Dec. 27, 1775, the Convention appropriated 1700 pounds of common money,
each county 100 pounds to be placed in the hands of a discreet and active
person in each county, called a supervisor, to be used in procuring and
setting up proper kettles, tubs and necessary utensils for the manufacture
of rough nitre. That the supervisor show and explain to those who
attend to the work the method and process of making crude nitre.
To encourage people throughout the county to make nitre they offered the
rate of two shillings common money per pound. The following process
was recommended by the supervisors: place in open houses, or sheds admitting
air, but excluding the rain and sun, the stalks and trashy leaves of tobacco,
trodden straw, the sweepings of stables mixed with rich mold collected
from floors of barns, and from time to time sprinkled with brine or water;
this collection of various substances so as to occasion the fermentation
and speedy putrefaction thereof; that the whole mass when properly decayed,
may be dug, stirred up and thoroughly blended and thus left without further
damping so loose and light as to attract readily and be more plentifully
impregnated with nitre for future use. Mr. Joshua Clark was
supervisor for Caroline County.
Another necessity for the army was lead. This was conserved to
the utmost. From the Archives of Maryland, 1777, the following is
quoted showing its scarcity.

“I
have been obliged to call upon the inhabitants here for their Clock Weights,
and Window Weights; we wanted lead; and as we have here every conveniency
for making cartridges and men that understand it I intend to make up all
our powder and get all the Lead that I can; We have tradesmen here that
understand the making of every military article and they are all at work.”

Following in Council of Safety
records are letters relating to outfitting of soldiers.

“Resolved
that Chas. Beatley of Frederick be empowered to contract for the
making and delivering of 650 good, substantial, proved musquets 3 ½
feet in the barrel and of ¾ of an inch in the bore: With good double
bridle locks, black walnut or maple stocks, and plain strong brass mounting,
bayonets with steel blades, 17 inches long, steel ramrods, double screws,
priming wires and brushes fitted thereto, with a pair of brass molds for
every 80 musquets, to cast 12 bullets on one side and on the other to cast
shot of such size as the musquet will chamber three of them; for a sum
not exceeding $10.66 in bills of credit issued by the Resolution of the
last Convention.”

VII. Later Organization of the Militia.

In 1777 the militia of Caroline
County was continued in two battalions, one east of and the other west
of the Choptank River. In each battalion were eight companies, and
each company was made up of about 75 men.
William Whitely was
commander-in-chief of the militia of the county—both battalions—and had
the rank of Colonel. Matthew Driver was next in command as
Lieutenant-Colonel and Nathaniel Potter served as Major.
Upon these men, evidently,
devolved the important duty of preparing plans for the enrollment of all
able bodied men of military age, as well as being directly responsible
to the state Council of Safety for the execution of all orders handed down
from the Continental Congress and the State Council.
After the close inspection
of the names of eligibles, about 1200 men were found to compose the militia
of this period. The location of the Captains and men of the various
companies was about as follows:
East Battalion: 1st
Company including the Harmony and American Corner’s section, Captain
Joseph Richards; 2nd Company, Concord and Smithville neighborhood,
Captain
John Mitchell; 3rd Company, Chestnut Grove and Federalsburg territory,
Captain
Nehemiah Andrew; 4th Company, Preston section,
Captain Joseph Douglass;
5th Company, Friendship and Linchester communities,
Captain Richard
Andrew; 6th Company, Burrsville section,
Captain John Stafford;
7th Company, Chilton, Garey’s and Denton neighborhoods,
Captain Andrew
Fountain; 8th Company, Williston and Andersontown communities, Captain
Shadrach Lyden.
West Battalion: 1st
Company, Boonsboro and Oakland regions, Captain William Hooper;
2nd Company, Lower Tuckahoe Neck section, Captain Vincent Price;
3rd Company, Hillsboro and Upper Tuckahoe Neck, Capt. Henry Downes;
4th Company, region around Greensboro, east side of river perhaps, Capt.
William Haslett; 5th Company, territory around Greensboro, toward Goldsboro
and Bridgetown, Capt. Thomas Hughlett; 6th Company, along Tuckahoe
Creek and Bridgetown, Capt. William Chipley; 7th Company, from Jackson’s
residence near old Town Branch to the Culbreth section, north east of Goldsboro,
Captain
Samuel Jackson; 8th Company from Castle Hall toward Bee Tree and Keene’s
Cross Roads, Capt. John Fauntleroy.
As reported the East Side
Battalion consisted of 615 men while in the West Battlion were 585 men.
Somewhat later during the
war Henry Dickinson enrolled for the county a company of Light Horsemen,
about 15 in number. However, there is no record of this Company having
gone into service.